Telephone line connections at subscriber locations are commonly made with the RJ-type of plug and socket connector such as an RJ-11 or RJ-45. These connectors are exemplary of electrical connections susceptible to failure from oxidation, corrosion, humidity, salt, and the like, especially in the presence of a live voltage on the conductors within the connector.
For example, it is sometimes difficult to establish and maintain an adequate environmental seal in a removable male RJ-type plug, particularly when wires lead from the male RJ-type plug. Accordingly, moisture and other environmental contaminants are allowed to enter such plugs, sometimes resulting in corrosion and/or failure of the connection of the tip and ring connections in the socket/plug combination. RJ-type sockets are likewise subject to moisture contamination and corrosion, as well as being subject to dust buildup. In hot, humid environments, such as in Florida and along the Gulf Coast of Texas, failure can occur within several months of installation. Servicing these failures is costly for the consumer or the telephone company.
Problems may also arise in connection with test ports for customer telecommunications equipment such as remote terminals at customer facilities and the like. It is often desirable to provide an RJ-type connector of the type well known to those of skill in the art, or other such connector, at an external location at a subscriber facility, such as a junction box leading to a house, or a remote terminal of the type described above. Access may be provided by installing a female RJ-type socket which is normally connected to a male RJ-type plug. The tip and ring wires (among other wires in some cases) lead from the female RJ-type socket, and connect to tip and ring connections in the male RJ-type plug, thereafter leading into the subscriber facility. When it is desired to connect test equipment to the RJ-type female socket, the plug may be removed, and another male RJ-type may be inserted into the female socket, thereby providing tip and ring connections for the test equipment. Even though the equipment may be contained in a protective housing, such arrangements are sometimes subject to much of the same moisture/corrosion degradation.
A similar problem may be experienced where RJ-type connectors are employed to connect networked computer stations for data communication. Commonly, such RJ-type connectors are used in components such as servers situated in closets. The temperatures and humidities present in the closets may vary widely and tend to degrade the connections or short circuit adjacent contacts.
Applicant has designed plug and socket type sealant-filled electrical connectors to overcome or reduce the above-described problems. See, e.g., the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,562,491 and 5,601,460, each to Shimirak et al.
One problem experienced with plug and socket type sealant-filled electrical connectors, including gel-filled connectors, is a tendency for the sealant material to be removed with the plug when the plug is inserted into the socket and removed. In order to improve the adhesion of the sealant to the socket as compared to the adhesion to the plug, cleaners or primer coats have been applied to the sealant contacting surfaces of the socket. However, these techniques frequently do not provide the degree of adhesion desired.
There is a need for an improved design and method for installing an environmental sealant. For example, it is often desirable to provide an environmental sealant, including a gel sealant, in connectors not originally designed to employ a sealant. It has been found that such connectors may not allow for efficient and cost-effective installation of sealant.